– Prof. (Dr.) Nitin Kr Saxena, Dean Academics & Professor of Marketing, Jaipuria School of Business, Ghaziabad

India’s higher education system must move beyond narrow subject boundaries to prepare graduates who can connect knowledge, solve real-world problems and adapt to changing careers.

1. The limits of learning within silos

Expertise matters, but it is no longer enough

For decades, higher education in India has followed a familiar pattern. Students choose science, commerce or humanities, pursue a specialised degree and prepare for a career in their chosen field. While this approach builds subject expertise, it often limits students’ understanding of how different fields influence one another. Real-world problems do not fit neatly into academic categories. A business seeking to retain customers needs marketing knowledge, consumer psychology, data analysis and technology. A city facing water shortages needs engineers, economists, environmental scientists and public administrators to work together. The same applies to healthcare, climate change, financial inclusion and artificial intelligence. These challenges require people who can examine different perspectives and combine them to develop practical solutions. The answer is not to reduce specialisation. Strong subject knowledge remains essential. The challenge is to ensure that students do not treat their chosen discipline as a closed world.

What employers increasingly expect

Employers need graduates who can analyse information, communicate clearly, collaborate across teams and make decisions in unfamiliar situations. Technical knowledge may help a candidate secure a job, but adaptability and sound judgement often determine long-term growth. As artificial intelligence takes over more routine tasks, graduates must learn to use technology responsibly, question its outputs and apply independent thinking. India needs professionals who combine subject expertise with curiosity, communication skills and the ability to connect ideas.

2. Connecting disciplines to solve real problems

From knowing subjects to applying knowledge

Interdisciplinary learning brings knowledge from different fields together to understand and solve a problem. Multidisciplinary learning examines a problem through different subject areas, while interdisciplinary learning integrates these perspectives into a common approach. Consider a company planning to introduce an affordable electric vehicle. Engineers must develop a reliable product, finance professionals must assess costs, marketers must understand customer preferences, and environmental experts must evaluate its wider impact. No single discipline can answer every important question. Similarly, a marketing student familiar with data analytics can identify customer patterns, while knowledge of psychology can help explain buying behaviour. A computer science student who understands ethics and human behaviour may be better equipped to develop responsible digital products. Such learning is not about studying a little of everything. It is about understanding when knowledge from another field is needed and how it can improve a decision.

Turning NEP 2020 into classroom practice

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 provides an opportunity to make higher education more flexible and multidisciplinary. Its emphasis on curricular flexibility and learning across disciplines encourages institutions to reconsider rigid academic boundaries. However, offering a few optional courses from other departments is not enough. Students need opportunities to apply concepts from different subjects to common problems, work in mixed teams and learn from different perspectives. Universities could ask students to develop a business plan for a local enterprise, study how digital payments affect small businesses or propose solutions to neighbourhood waste management. Such projects connect classroom learning with practical challenges.

3. Reimagining the university experience

Curriculum must connect knowledge with experience

Universities must preserve depth in core subjects while creating meaningful opportunities to explore other fields. Business students should understand finance, marketing or human resources thoroughly while learning how technology, psychology and economics influence business decisions. Assessment methods must also evolve. Examinations remain important, but projects, presentations, simulations and internships can reveal whether students can apply their learning. Assessment should consider how students frame problems, evaluate evidence, collaborate and justify their decisions. Technology can support this process, but thoughtful teaching remains essential. Faculty members must help students distinguish reliable information from misleading claims, question assumptions and understand the consequences of their decisions.

Preparing faculty and institutions for change

Interdisciplinary education requires institutional support. Faculty members need time and resources to collaborate, while academic timetables, credit structures and assessment systems must allow students to explore different fields without compromising their core learning. Institutions must also look beyond the label of multidisciplinary education. They should ask whether students can approach problems from different perspectives, explain complex ideas clearly and work effectively with people from other disciplines.

4. Preparing graduates for India’s future

Combining depth with the ability to adapt

India’s demographic advantage depends on graduates who can adapt to a changing economy. Universities must combine deep subject knowledge with the ability to connect disciplines, collaborate and solve real-world problems. The value of a degree lies not merely in what students know, but in how effectively they apply their knowledge, learn from others and respond to unfamiliar challenges. This will prepare graduates not just for jobs, but also to shape the future.

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